Self-bailing interior frame

ABSTRACT

A self-bailing, antimicrobial frame construction is disclosed. A lower track including a pair of vertical sections and a gabled center section is connected to a plurality of studs. The studs are connected to an upper track having a pair of vertical sections and a gabled center section. The lower and upper tracks and the studs can be made from recycled metal that is roll-formed into shape and coated with an antimicrobial coating. A closed-cell foam pad can be placed under the lower track to insulate sound and vibration. The lower track can include several perforations at a low point in the lower track to allow moisture to escape the frame.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure is related to a self-bailing interior frame for building construction.

BACKGROUND

Building construction faces many challenges in today's market for materials and labor. Traditional frame-based buildings, such as houses, are conventionally made from wooden two-by-four beams nailed together to form a frame. Some builders have turned to using metal beams in place of wooden two-by-fours because of the price of wood and because metal is more resistant to rot and other damage. A metal U-channel or C-channel can generally substitute for a wooden two-by-four for purposes of construction framing. Metal frames may be easier to construct than wooden components, and they are lighter and easier to transport than wooden components.

However, despite the advantages of metal frame materials, conventional metal frames are still susceptible to water damage, rust, and other deterioration. Conventional metal frames sometimes include an upwardly-facing U-channel as a base section that can capture accumulate moisture that can damage the metal. Also, many metal frames are less efficient at damping sound than their predecessor wooden frames. Despite the many advantages that metal frames present, conventional metal frames still create substantial difficulties in a construction project.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a frame for use in a building or other construction project.

FIG. 2 shows a lower track for the frame having a gabled, or ramped section and bailing perforations.

FIG. 3 shows an upper track for the frame having a gabled, or ramped section.

FIG. 4 shows a pad for the frame.

FIG. 5 shows a stud for the frame.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a self-bailing construction frame 100 in accordance with the present disclosure. The frame 100 can be used to construct buildings of all types, sizes, and purposes. In several embodiments, the frame 100 includes a lower track 110, and upper track 120, and several studs 130 between the lower track 110 and the upper track 120. The frame 100 also includes a pad 140 underneath the lower track 110. The lower track 110, the upper track 120, and the studs 130 can be made from sheet metal that is roll-formed or extruded into elongated beams. The studs 130 can be fastened to the upper track 120 and lower track 110 with any combination of metal screws 132, welds, or other fasteners. The frame 100 can support drywall (not shown) or other building materials that can be fastened to the frame 100 by any suitable fastening mechanism. The lower track 110, the upper track 120, and the studs 130 can be made of various gauge material, having different dimensions and galvanizing thicknesses according to the needs of a given construction project. The frame 100 can be made of recycled material, such as scrap metal according to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System. In some embodiments, the frame 100 can be made to meet various standards, such as the ASTM C645 standard for non-structural steel framing members. The frame 100 can include gypsum board on one or both sides to be fire-rated at different levels, such as to withstand a fire for between one and two hours. The pad 140 can be made of closed-cell foam of various sizes and dimensions. The frame 100, or individual components of the frame 100, can be coated with an antimicrobial material to prevent growth of bacteria, mold, and other contaminants. The lower track 110 can include perforations 112 through which water can escape the frame 100 to stifle organic growth, to mitigate odor, and to prevent corrosion and rot.

FIG. 2 depicts the lower track 110 of the frame 100 in accordance with several embodiments of the present disclosure. The lower track 110 can generally comprise an elongated beam having a generally uniform cross-sectional shape including two vertical sections 113 and a central section 114. The lower track 110 can be made from a flat sheet of material that is roll-formed, stamped, or extruded into a desired shape. In some embodiments, the vertical section 113 can be straight, vertical members. In other embodiments, the vertical sections 113 can be curved or angled relative to the lower track 110. The central section 114 can be gabled in the sense that it includes ramped portions 115 that slope toward the vertical sections 113 and meet at an apex 116. In some embodiments, the gable can be symmetrical with slopes of equal length and degree on either side of the apex 116. The center section 114 can also include a flat section 117 on either side of the ramped portions 115 in order to accommodate the studs 130. The flat section 117 can be approximately ¼ inch in length. The slope of the gabled or ramped portions 115 can be approximately ⅛ inch of vertical rise for every 3⅝ inch of horizontal run. As a dimensionless number, the slope can be represented as approximately 0.034. In other embodiments, the ramped portions 115 can have a different slope. The ramped portions 115 allow any moisture that accumulates in the lower track 112 to flow toward the junction between the vertical sections 113 and the central section 114 and to exit the frame 100 through the perforations 112. The perforations 112 can be evenly spaced along the length of the lower track 110, such as every four inches approximately, or they can be irregularly spaced out to be more numerous in locations of the frame 100 that are more susceptible to moisture accumulation. The perforations 112 can be round, square, elongated, or any other suitable shape. The perforations 112 can be punched into the material of the lower track 110 before or after the lower track 110 is formed from a blank. In some embodiments, the frame 100 is part of a building that has corresponding fluid paths or channels to permit moisture to flow out of the perforations 112 and away from the frame 100.

FIG. 3 shows the upper track 120 in accordance with several embodiments of the present disclosure. The upper track 120 can include an elongated beam having a generally uniform cross-sectional shape including two vertical sections 121 and a central section 122. The upper track 120 can be made using similar materials and manufacturing techniques as the lower track 110. The upper track 120 can include several slots 124 to lighten the frame 100 and to provide additional flexibility to the frame 100. In some embodiments, the assembled frame 100 can flex by approximately ¾ inches upward and downward, at least in part due to fasteners in the studs 130 moving up or down within the slots 124 relative to the upper track 120. The central section 122 can include a flat section 126 an apex of the gabled, center section 122. The flat section 126 can be generally equidistant from either vertical section 121, or it can be eccentric.

The upper track 120 can be generally similar to the lower track 110, but with several differences. For example, the central section 122 of the upper track 120 can be angled away from the vertical sections 121, while the central section 114 of the lower track 110 slopes toward the vertical sections 113. When the frame 100 is upright with the upper track 120 above the lower track 110 with studs 130 in between, the vertical sections 113 of the lower track 110 extend upward, and the vertical sections 121 of the upper track 120 extend downward. The central sections 114 and 122, however, extend in the same, upward direction. For example, an angle between the vertical sections 113 and the central section 114 of the lower track is less than approximately 90 degrees, whereas an angle between the vertical sections 121 and the central section 122 of the upper track 120 is more than approximately 90 degrees. In another example, the upper track 120 and the lower track 110 can be similar except that the respective vertical sections 121 and 113 are inverted. The central sections 114 and 122 repel water and other moisture due to their sloped shape. The upper track 120 prevents moisture from entering the frame 100 or pooling on top of the frame 100, and the perforations 112 of the lower track allow moisture to exit the frame. Accordingly, in several embodiments, the upper track 120 does not include perforations.

FIG. 4 illustrates the lower track 110 and the pad 140 of the frame 100 according to several embodiments of the present disclosure. The pad 140 can be slightly wider than the lower track 110 and shaped to generally correspond to the gabled or ramped shape of the lower track 110. For example, the pad 140 can have a raised section 142 in the center of the pad 140 to fit against the ramped portions 115. The pad 140 can be made of a closed-cell foam material that can be coated with a waterproof and/or antimicrobial coating. The pad 140 can damp sound from the frame 100. The frame 100 can include additional sound-blocking features such as insulation between the vertical studs and gypsum cladding such that the frame 100 as a whole has a minimum sound transmission of approximately 45 sound transmission class (STC), meaning that loud speech is not audible through the frame, and that approximately 90% of statistical population is not annoyed by the sound level of the frame 100. In other embodiments, the shape and material of the pad 140 can be chosen to achieve a different STC rating.

FIG. 5 depicts a stud 130 according to several embodiments of the present disclosure. The stud 130 can be made using similar techniques and materials as described above with reference to the upper track 120 and lower track 110. The stud 130 can have a generally uniform cross-sectional shape along its length. In some embodiments, the stud 130 is a U-channel having a central section 132 and two end sections 134. The stud 130 can also include a lip 135 on the end sections 134. Other structures can be used to strengthen and balance the stud 130. The central section 132 can be slightly narrower than the lower track 110 and upper track 120 such that the stud 130 fits within the lower track 110 and the upper track 120 with the end sections 134 contacting the vertical sections 113 and 121 of the lower track 110 and upper track 120, respectively. The stud 130 and the upper track 120 and lower track 110 can include pre-formed holes to receive screws to hold the stud 130 in place in the tracks. Any type of fastener can be used, including welding, glue, and others.

The stud 130 has a lower end 136 and an upper end 137 that correspond, respectively, to the gabled, central sections 114 and 122 of the lower track 110 and upper track 120. The upper end 137 can be a protruding, or convex shape and the lower end 136 can be a recessed, or convex shape. In selected embodiments where the lower track 110 or the upper track 120 has a flat section either at the ends or in the middle, the studs ends 136 and 137 can be shaped to match the shape of the flat sections in the lower track 110 and the upper track 120. The lower end 136 of the stud 130 abuts the central section 114 of the lower track 110 at any point along the lower track 110 without requiring a modification or preparation to the lower track 110. Similarly, the upper end 137 can contact the upper track 120. The studs 130 can therefore be placed at any interval along the tracks.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, but well-known structures and functions have not been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the description of the embodiments of the invention. Reference terms such as “top,” “bottom,” and “side” are used for purposes of explanation and refer primarily to certain perspectives shown in the Figures, and are not limiting. The structures and components described herein may have a different orientation in operation than that shown in a Figure. Where the context permits, singular or plural terms may also include the plural or singular term, respectively. Unless the word “or” is associated with an express clause indicating that the word should be limited to mean only a single item exclusive from the other items in reference to a list of two or more items, then the use of “or” in such a list shall be interpreted as including (a) any single item in the list, (b) all of the items in the list, or (c) any combination of the items in the list.

Also, it will be appreciated that specific embodiments described above are for purposes of illustration and that various modifications may be made without deviating from the invention. Aspects of the disclosure described in the context of particular embodiments may be combined or eliminated in other embodiments. Further, while advantages associated with certain embodiments of the disclosure may have been described in the context of those embodiments, other embodiments may also exhibit such advantages, but not all embodiments need necessarily exhibit such advantages to fall within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, which were provided for ease of understanding; rather, the invention includes any and all other embodiments defined by the claims. 

1. A self-bailing frame, comprising: a first beam having two first vertical sections and a first base section between the two first vertical sections, wherein the first base section comprises an apex portion raised toward the first vertical sections such that the first base section slopes from the apex portion toward an interior side of either first vertical section, and wherein the first beam has a plurality of perforations at a junction between the first vertical sections and either side of the first base section; a second beam having two second vertical sections and a second center section between the two second vertical sections, wherein the second center section comprises an apex portion raised away from the second vertical sections such that the second center section slopes from the apex portion toward an exterior side of either second vertical section; a plurality of studs connected to the first beam and the second beam at intervals along the first and second beam.
 2. The frame of claim 1 wherein individual studs comprise a C-channel with an end profile substantially matching a shape of the first center section at a first end and matching a shape of the second center section at a second end.
 3. The frame of claim 1 wherein the perforations direct water out of an off of the frame.
 4. The frame of claim 1 wherein the first and second beams and the studs are coated with an antimicrobial coating.
 5. The frame of claim 1, further comprising a gypsum coating on at least one side of the frame.
 6. The frame of claim 5 wherein the frame is fire-rated to withstand a fire for between one and two hours.
 7. The frame of claim 5 wherein the frame has a minimum sound rating of 45 STC.
 8. The frame of claim 1 wherein the frame can flex upward or downward approximately ¾ inch.
 9. The frame of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first beam, the second beam, or the studs comprises steel meeting the ASTM 645 standard.
 10. The frame of claim 1 wherein the first and second beams and the studs are made from LEED recycled content.
 11. The frame of claim 1 wherein the base section slopes from the apex portion at a slope of approximately 0.034.
 12. The frame of claim 1 wherein the base section slopes from the apex portion at a slope of approximately ⅛ inch vertical rise per 3⅝ inch horizontal run.
 13. The frame of claim 1 wherein the frame comprises part of a building, and wherein the perforations are situated near corresponding fluid paths in the building such that fluid can flow from the perforations and through the fluid paths in the building.
 14. A frame, comprising: a lower track comprising an elongated member having a generally uniform cross-sectional shape comprising— a first vertical section; a first ramped section connected to the first vertical section, wherein an interior angle between the first vertical section and the first ramped section is less than approximately 90 degrees; a second ramped section connected to the first ramped section; and a second vertical section generally parallel with the first vertical section and connected to the second ramped section, wherein an interior angle between the second ramped section and the second vertical section is less than approximately 90 degrees; an upper track comprising an elongated member having a generally uniform cross-sectional shape comprising— a first vertical section; a first ramped section connected to the first vertical section, wherein an interior angle between the first vertical section and the first ramped section is more than approximately 90 degrees; a second ramped section connected to the first ramped section; and a second vertical section generally parallel with the first vertical section and connected to the second ramped section, wherein an interior angle between the second ramped section and the second vertical section is more than approximately 90 degrees; and a plurality of studs, individual studs having a lower end connected to the lower track and an upper end connected to the upper track, wherein the lower end is shaped to substantially match the cross-sectional shape of the lower track.
 15. The frame of claim 14 wherein the studs comprise C-channel members having two end sections and a center section, and wherein the end sections fit between the first and second vertical sections of the lower and upper tracks and contacting the first and second vertical sections of the lower and upper tracks.
 16. The frame of claim 14 wherein the lower track comprises a plurality of perforations between the first vertical section and the first ramped section and between the second vertical section and the second ramped section.
 17. The frame of claim 14, further comprising a closed-foam pad under the lower track and shaped to accommodate the first and second ramped section of the lower track.
 18. The frame of claim 14 wherein the upper track, the lower track, and the studs are made from recycled materials.
 19. The frame of claim 14 wherein at least one of the upper track, the lower track, and the studs is coated with anti-microbial material.
 20. The frame of claim 14, further comprising a first flat section between the first vertical section and the first ramped section and a second flat section between the second ramped section and the second vertical section, wherein an angle between the first flat section and the first vertical section is approximately 90 degrees, and an angle between the second flat section and the second vertical section is approximately 90 degrees.
 21. The frame of claim 20 wherein an angle between the first flat section and the first ramped section is less than approximately 180 degrees, and wherein an angle between the second flat section and the second ramped section is less than approximately 180 degrees.
 22. A frame, comprising: an elongated base track comprising a base gabled section connected to two generally vertical end sections that extend upward from the base gabled section, wherein the base gabled section has perforations between the base gabled section and the end sections; an elongated upper track comprising an upper gabled section connected to two generally vertical end sections that extend downward from the upper gabled section; a plurality of studs comprising U-channel members, wherein a lower end of individual studs comprises a recessed edge substantially corresponding to the base gabled section, and wherein an upper end of individual studs comprises a protruding edge substantially corresponding to the upper gabled section; and a foam pad under the base track.
 23. The frame of claim 22 wherein the lower gabled section has sufficient slope that fluid can flow down the lower gabled section and through the perforations.
 24. The frame of claim 22 wherein the upper track comprises a plurality of slots in the vertical end sections that allow the frame to flex under a load.
 25. The frame of claim 22 wherein the upper gabled section comprises a flat section at a center of the upper gabled section.
 26. The frame of claim 22 wherein the vertical end sections comprise L-shaped sections having a vertical arm and a horizontal arm connected to the base gabled section.
 27. The frame of claim 22 wherein the base gabled section includes two flat sections between the base gabled section and the end sections.
 28. The frame of claim 27 wherein the flat sections are approximately ¼″ in length and accommodate the studs in the base track.
 29. The frame of claim 22 wherein the foam pad comprises a closed-cell foam.
 30. The frame of claim 22 wherein the foam pad comprises antimicrobial coating.
 31. The frame of claim 22 wherein the recessed end comprises a concave edge and the protruding end comprises a convex edge. 